Dispensing machine



J. E. KENKEL.

DISPENSING MACHINE. APPLICATION man SEPT. 11, .1921.

Patented Sept. 5, 19221.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.-

L m M m m WWw ATTORNEYS Patented 5ept. 5, 1922.

i Q E i it) ii nrsrnnsrne MACHINE.

Application filed September 1'7, 1921. Serial No. 501 190.

1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JoI-IN E. KENKEL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Great Falls, in the county of Cascade and State of Montana, have invented a new and Improved Dispensing- Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a dispel'lsing machine and aims to provide certain new and. useful improvements in connection with a device of this characten and more particularly over my prior Patent #137118 of Niarch 8, 1921.

It is a primary object of this presentinvention to provide a machine of the type described in which the reservoir and feed box will form oneelement, andto also generally simplify the construction of the ma-. chine.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a dispensing machine in which a correctoperation will at all times be assured in that a ammin: of the apparatus is virtually precluded.

Still further objects of this invention will appear in the annexed specification taken in connection with the drawings which latter illustrate one practical embodiment of the same, and in which;

Figure 1 is a face view of a machine embodying my improved. construction Figure 2 is a partly sectional side elevation taken along the line 2-2 and in the direction of the arrows indicated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along; the line 3-3 and in the direction of the arrows also indicated in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the parts of the mechanism in a slightly different position than that illustrated in the latter figure.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the operating mechanism of the machine.

Figure 6 is a similar plan view takenalong the line 66 and in the direction of the arrows indicated in Figure 2. i

Figure 7 is a sectional front view taken along the line 7-7 and inthe direction of the arrows indicated in Figure 2, and

Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 show details of construction.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1 and 2 it will be seen that the reference numeral 15 vindicates any suitable type of base which serves to support a casing 16 the latter providing a reservoir capable of receiving tooth picks 17 or other articles to be dispensed.

The base 15 is formed with an extended portion as has been shown in Figure 2, and the casing 16 is provided with an opening adjacent this portion. Also a platform is mounted within this opening, and has its outer end extending upon the projecting portion of the base, its opposite end extending into the casing 16.

Attention is invited to Figure 8 which illustrates the construction of this platform in detail. It will be seen in this figure, that the said platform presents a bl shaped body portion the arms 18 of which have upstanding ears 19'provided adjacent their inner edges, these cars lying in a position adjacent the base portion of the body of the platform. Further the body of the platform provides in its base a trough portion 20, a roller 21 beingpositioned adjacent the outer edge of the body for a purpose hereinafter specified.

Also a pair of lugs 22 are rockingly positioned one adjacent each of the ears 19, and may be rocked with respectto the same by virtue of levers 23 which are connected to the same and extend to the outer endof the platform proper so that an operator may be enabled to actuate the same.

As in Figures 1 to 3 it will be seen that a hopper 24 is positioned within the lower end of the casing 16 and at a point above the opening" in the same. this hopper having an opening in its base through which the tooth picks 17 or other articles may pass. Also as in Figures 5., to 7, it will be noted that the hopper 24.- has slots 25 in its faces, one of said slots being provided to accommodate theupper end portions of the ears 19. which latter normally extend into the same when the entire platform is rockingly mounted upon the pin 26.

In this connection it is to be noted that the pin 26 is supported by a mounting 27 suit ably secu red within the casing 16. this mounting; further providing a plurality of fixed rest members28-capable of being projected through slots 29 formed through the body of the platform. I

Further it will be noted that the hopper 24; has its walls extending in different planes, and a series of slotsin there armost wall are adapted to accommodate the hooked end portions'30 of a member 31, the latter being rockingly supported upon a shaft. 32extending transversely of the casing 16. Also it will be seen that the upper edges of the hooked portions 30 are formed with ratchet surfaces these ratchet surfaces extending into the body of the hopper and being capable of engaging the articles 17 therein.

In use the body of the casing is filled with the articles to be dispensed, and it will be obvious that these articles will move into the hopper and to the position illustrated in Figure 2, and an operation of the levers will permit one of the articles 17 to drop clear of the hop per. it will now be seen, reference bein had particularly to Figures 2 and 3 that the platform mounts a pair of guides 34 which extend inwardly and in spaced relationship from the body of the said platform. The article thus released is free to roll along these guides to the position indicated in dottedlines in Figures 1 and 2, a further movement on the part of the article 17 being prevented by the stops 35 which stops present inclined inner side edges and are secured to the base 15.

Assuming now that an operator desires to withdraw an article 17 it will be appreciated that this may be accomplished by simply grasping said member in the space between the arms 18 and the platform, and in exerting a pull upon the same. The said article will be caused to ride upwardly along the inclined edges of the stops 35 and will have its ends bearagainst the under side of the arms 18 thus rocking the platform around the pin 26 supportingithe same to a point at which the article 17 is free to be withdrawn as in Figure 3.

This upward movement on the part of the outer end of the platform will obviously re suit in a downward movement on the inner part of the same and inoidentto the fact that the ears 19 have their hooked upper ends ex tending through the slots 25 in the base of the hopper it will be understood that these ears will serve as feeding elements to push the article 17 within the hopper towards the open base thereof.

Further the spurs 36 associated with the ears 19 will cause any article 17 dropping from the hopper to be guided into the trough 20 as in Figure 3. At the same time that this operation is occurring it will be noted that the roller 21 of the platform is engaging the cross bar 37 of the member 31, and this will cause the latter to be rocked rearwardly around the pin 82 supporting the same. Incident to the fact that both the platform and member 31 are provided with counterweights 38 it will be seen that as soon as the platform is raised by the operator, that said platform and member 31 will return to their I normal positions, incident to the action of these counter-weights. This return of the member 81 will cause the ratchet port-ions 83 thereof to co-act with the articles 17 to be d spensed, and will accordingly exert a feeding action also upon this side of the hopper 2 1.

lVith a view of conducting the articles 17 deposited within the trough portion 20 to the guic es 3a of the platform, it will be seen that the upper ends of the rest members 28 are notched as at 39. Thus incident to the fact that these upper ends extend through slots 29 into the body f the platform it will be appreciated that when the parts are in their normal position as in Figure 2, that the forward article 17 within the trough will more to a position at which it will rest within the notch 39, as has been indicated in dotted lines in the figure mentioned.

A lifting of the outer end of the platform incident to the withdrawal of the article therefrom will result in the articles sup ported by the rests being retained stationary by these elements. However, prior to the re turn of the parts to their normal position, i. e. as in Figure 1 the ridge portion 4:0 adjacent the forward edge of the trough 20 will co-act in its upward swing with the article 17 supported. by the rests 28, and will cause this article to be lifted clear of these rests and be permitted to roll down the guides 84;, thus presenting a fresh article to be dispensed to the hands of the operator.

Obviously this operation may be repeated, and in each instance the parts will act as in the manner aforedescribed, it being thus seen that the teeth of the ears 19 and the ratchetportions of the member 31 will cooperate to at all times feed the articles 17 properly within the hopper 24; and towards the dispensing mechanism proper. Also the elements aforementioned will at all times constitute an effectual barrier in the normal position. in that the roller 21 will. cooperate with the bar 27 to draw the inner end portions and platform, as well as the portions of the member 31 towards each other, and to retain the same lllllilOVflblO with respect to one another. It is to be noted that this operation is in the nature of a locking function in that both of the membo specified. are positively moved and retained at points to which they are normally moved by means of their associated weights Thus all of the objects set forth in the preamble of this specification have been ac complished, and it will furtljier be understood that numerous modifications of structure might readily be resorted to without departing from the scope of my claims, which are:

1. A dispensing machine including a hopper formed with an open end, a platform secured below said hopper, lugs movably mounted upon said platform, said lugs normally co-operating with the open end. of said hopper to prevent articles within said hopper from passing therethrough and means also secured to said platform and connected to said lugs for permitting the latter to be positively moved to secure the deposit of an article upon said platform.

2. A dispensing machine including a hopper formed with an open end, a'platform secured below said hopper, lugs movably mounted upon said platform, said lugs nor mally co-operating with the open end of said hopper to prevent articles within said hopper from passing therethrough, and a lever movably mounted upon said platform and connected to said lugs for permitting the latter to be positively moved to secure the deposit of an article upon said platform.

3. A dispensing machine including a. hopper formed with an open end portion, a platform movably mounted below said hopper, guides forming a part of said platform, means co-operating with said platform for insuring the delivery of one of the articles within said hopper to said guides upon said platform being rocked, and further means co-operatin with said guides for necessitating a deliberate rocking of said platform when the article to be deposited is removed from said guides.

4. A dispensing machine including a hopper formed with an open end portion, a platform movably mounted below said hopper, guides forming a part of said platform, means co-operating with said platform for insuring the delivery of one of the articles within said hopper to said guides upon said platform being rocked, and further means co-operating with said guides for necessitating a deliberate rocking of said platform when the article to be dispensed is manually removed from said guides.

5. A dispensing machine including a hopper formed with an open end portion, a platform movably mounted below said hopper, guides forming a part of said plat form, means co-operating with said platform for insuring the delivery of one of the articles within said hopper to said guides upon said platform being rocked, and stops formed with inclined inner side edges and connected to said machine, said stops lying adjacent said guides whereby an article being withdrawn from said guides, said articles will eo-operate with the inclined side edges of the same and said guides to effect a rocking of said platformto actuate said first named means.

6. A dispensing machine including a hopper formed with an open end portion, a platform movably mounted below said hopper, guides forming a part of said platform, means co-operating with said platform for insuring the delivery of one of the articles within said hopper to said guides upon said platform being rocked, and stops forming part of said machine and extending adjacent said guides whereby it is necessary form, means for permitting of articles within said hopper being deposited within said trough portion, and means co-operating with the articles within said trough for removing the same therefrom and depositing said articles upon said guides.

8. A dispensing machine including a hopper formed with an open end portion, a platform rockingly mounted below said hopper, guides forming a part of said platform, a trough portion forming a part of said platform, means for permitting of articles within said hopper being deposited within said trough portions, and fixed means cooperating with the articles within said rough for removing the same therefrom and depositing said articles upon said guides.

9. A dispensing machine including a hopper formed with an open end portion, a platform rockingly mounted below said hopper, a trough portion forming a part of said platform, means for permitting of articles within said hopper being deposited within said trough portions, and a ridge forming a part of said platform and lying between said trough portlon and guides to prevent an accidental removal of said articles deposited within said trough, fixed rest members extending through slots in said trough and adjacent said ridge portion, whereby upon said platform being rocked, one of the articles within said trough will be supported by said rest members and upon said platform being returned to its normal position will be lifted over said ridge portion and deposited'upon said guides.

10. A dispensing machine including a hopper formed with an open end portion, a platform rockingly mounted below said hopper, a trough portion forming a part of said platform, means for permitting of articles within said hopper being deposited within said trough portion, and a ridge forming a part of said platform and lying between said trough portion and guides to prevent the accidential removal of said articles deposited within said trough, fixed rest members formed with notched upper ends, extending through slots in said trough and adjacent said ridge portion whereby upon said platform being rocked one of the articles within said trough will be supported by said rest members, and upon said platform being returned to its normal position will be lifted over said ridge portion and deposited upon said guides.

11. A dispensing machine including a i hopper formed with an open end, a platform rockingly mounted below said hopper, means connected to said platform forinsuring the delivery of articles within said hopper to the body of said platform, a member rookingly mounted adjacent said platform, means for connecting said platform with said member, and means forming a part of said member and. being adapted to extend through slots in the base of said hopper for insuring a feeding of articles within the same towards the open end thereof.

12. A dispensing machine including a hopper formed with an open end, a platform rockingly mounted below said hopper, means connectedto said platform for insuring the delivery of articles within said'hopperto the body of said platform, a member rockingly mounted adjacent said platform, means for connecting said platform with said member, and rigid portions forming a part of said member and being adapted to extend through slots in the base of said hopper for insuring a feeding of articles within the same towards the open end thereof.

JOHN EDWIN KENKEL. 

